Abstract
Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a master controller of cell growth, and its dysregulation is associated with cancer. KICSTOR, a complex comprising KPTN, ITFG2, C12orf66, and SZT2, functions as a critical negative regulator of amino acid–induced mTORC1 activation. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing KICSTOR remain largely unclear. In this study, we identify F-box only protein 2 (FBXO2) as a key modulator of amino acid–dependent mTORC1 signaling. Mechanistically, FBXO2 colocalizes and directly interacts with KPTN via its F-box–associated domain, promoting K48- and K63-linked polyubiquitination of KPTN at lysine residues 49, 67, 262, and 265. FBXO2-mediated KPTN ubiquitination disrupted its interaction with ITFG2 and SZT2, while enhancing its interaction with C12orf66, thereby impairing the ability of KICSTOR to recruit the GATOR1 complex — comprising DEPDC5, NPRL2, and NPRL3 — to the lysosomal surface. Notably, FBXO2 protein levels were substantially upregulated in patients with liver cancer, and FBXO2-mediated KPTN ubiquitination facilitated the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These results reveal a key regulatory mechanism of mTORC1 signaling and highlight FBXO2 and KPTN ubiquitination as therapeutic targets for HCC treatment.
Authors
Jianfang Gao, Jina Qing, Xianglong Li, Yuxuan Luo, Lingwen Huang, Hongxia Li, Huan Zhang, Jiao Zhang, Pei Xiao, Jinsong Li, Tingting Li, Shanping He
Graphical abstract
Copyright © 2026 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)